NASCUS State System Summit Quickly Approaching

A special message
Mary Martha Fortney
from Mary Martha Fortney, President and CEO, July 5, 2006

It seems like yesterday when we gathered in Chicago, Illinois for NASCUS’ 40th anniversary and our annual conference and symposium. Nearly a full year has passed though, and we are preparing for the 2006 NASCUS annual gathering of the state system’s leaders, August 10-12 in Dana Point, California. 

In light of the unique challenges of 2006, this year we are presenting the conference as a State System Summit to identify and develop the solutions to preserve the state credit union system. The year brought many new opportunities as well as serious issues for the state system including taxation concerns, regulatory relief needs and increasing plastic card fraud.  

Additionally, federal lawmakers’ oversight of the credit union tax exemption and the request for service documentation make it critical for the state system’s leaders to gather and communicate the state perspective on these important issues. The State System Summit will be the opportunity to discuss these critical matters.  

While some sessions will be targeted for the state system as a whole, the Summit will also feature sessions specific to regulators and credit unions. Two sessions are planned especially for regulators. The first is the NASCUS/National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Interagency Dialogue. NASCUS regulators will meet with NCUA officials to discuss issues of concern to the state and federal credit union systems. Following this session, the NASCUS Regulators Only Session will take place where state regulators will conduct an open peer-to-peer discussion.

Sessions are also planned especially for NASCUS Credit Union Advisory Council members. First, NCUA Board member and NASCUS liaison Gigi Hyland will share her perspective on the latest challenges facing today’s credit unions. Second, Mark Meyer, director of innovation at the Filene Research Institute, will explore unique growth strategies to allow credit unions to meet the changing needs of their members. Finally, Lucy Ito, vice president, California Credit Union League, will explain an effort to demonstrate the fulfillment of the credit union mission.

In addition, the Summit will begin with a “Summit within a Summit” where some of the state system’s most astute leaders will address taxation, documenting service and other timely issues. The Summit’s panelists include Gavin Gee, Director, Idaho Department of Finance; Diana Dykstra, President and CEO of San Francisco Fire Credit Union and Kirk Cuevas, Principal at Dollar Associates. The panelists will discuss their perspective on the key issues the system must address to preserve and strengthen state credit unions. John Annaloro, President of the Washington Credit Union League, will facilitate the session.

Most importantly, participation in the NASCUS State System Summit is the cornerstone of your NASCUS membership. NASCUS members have the unique opportunity to interact with their regulator and credit union peers, discussing issues of concern to the state system at the only national gathering of the state system’s leaders.  

For more information on the Summit or to register, click here. We look forward to this dynamic event and to celebrating 41 years of NASCUS with you in Dana Point next month.


To view the Special Message from the President and CEO Archive, click here.


National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors
1655 North Fort Myer Drive; Suite 300; Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: (703) 528-8351; Fax: (703) 528-3248